The goal of this project is to develop UV resonance Raman spectroscopy for rapid detection and identification bacterial pathogens. As a first step we are in the process of characterizing resonance Raman of the spectra of various bacterial samples and measuring scattering cross section of bacterial cells of various steps. So far we have measured Raman spectra of various bacteria including E. coli, S. Epidermidis, B. subtilis and C. feundie and measured Raman cross section for these samples using 251 nm excitation. In order to calculate cross section we are using sodium sulfate as an internal standard. Cross sections have been measured of bacterial cells in three phases, lag, log and stationary under various dilution conditions. Similar experiments will be carried at other excitation wavelengths including 241nm and 230 nm.